This two-tier hanging organizer is made of two soft blue oval baskets. Each one has a front rim shaped like a puffy cloud and edged in cream. A cream cord runs up both ends and over a wall hook, and short wooden pegs at the basket ends hold everything in place. It suits a bathroom, a nursery, or an entryway.
The palette is calm: dusty sky blue for the basket bodies and warm cream for the scalloped edging and cord. Dense single crochet keeps the walls firm enough to stand without stiffener.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished basket measures about 10 in (25.4 cm) long and 5 in (12.7 cm) deep. It stands 6 in (15.2 cm) tall at the cloud peaks, 4.75 in (12.1 cm) at the dips, and 5.25 in (13.3 cm) at the back. Hung up, the organizer is about 12.5 in (31.8 cm) wide including the pegs and about 20 in (50.8 cm) from the hook to the bottom.
To make each basket, you crochet an oval base in joined rounds, turn up straight walls, add two eyelets, and shape the cloud with one height-graded round. Two cream rounds finish the rim. One slip-stitch cord and four pegs then turn the two baskets into the hanging unit.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished basket size: 10 in x 5 in (25.4 cm x 12.7 cm), 6 in (15.2 cm) tall at the peaks
- Overall hanging size: about 12.5 in (31.8 cm) wide x 20 in (50.8 cm) tall
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Bulky (#5) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 6.0 mm (US J-10)
- Number of pieces: 3 crocheted pieces (2 identical baskets, 1 cord) plus 4 wooden pegs
- Layout: 2 baskets stacked vertically on one continuous cord
- Base size before walls: 9.5 in x 4.75 in (24.1 cm x 12.1 cm)
- Wall height before shaping: 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Border (edging) depth: about 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
Materials
Choose a firm, smooth bulky cotton or cotton blend with about 110 m (120 yd) per 100 g. Cotton holds its shape and handles bathroom humidity well. Avoid fluffy or very stretchy yarns, because the walls will sag.
- Color A, Sky Blue: 140 g (154 m), for the baskets
- Color B, Cream: 45 g (50 m), for the edging and cord
These quantities include a margin of roughly 25%. The two baskets use about 112 g of Color A, and the edging and cord use about 30 g of Color B.
Tools:
- 6.0 mm (US J-10) crochet hook
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors and tape measure
- 4 wooden dowel pegs, 5/8 in (1.6 cm) diameter x 2.75 in (7.0 cm) long, sanded smooth
- 1 sturdy wall hook
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- tr: treble crochet
- BLO: back loop only
- inc: 2 sc in the same stitch
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rev sc: reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
Special stitch: Reverse single crochet (rev sc). Don’t turn. Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right (left-handers work to the left), yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over again and pull through both loops. This makes a twisted, rope-like edge.
Hump (cloud shaping, worked over 9 sts): sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next st, 2 tr in each of next 3 sts, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st. Each Hump uses 9 sts and makes 12.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 10 sc and 11 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in joined rounds.
Treat the base of your first basket as your test piece and measure it before going on. Work tightly. Basket fabric should be dense, with no daylight showing between stitches.
Checkpoints:
- After Round 6: the base measures 9.5 in x 4.75 in (24.1 cm x 12.1 cm). The outer edge is about 24.8 in (63.0 cm) around.
- After Round 17: the wall stands 4 in (10.2 cm) tall from the fold line.
- After Round 20: the peaks reach 6 in (15.2 cm) and the dips reach 4.75 in (12.1 cm).
Base too big: go down to a 5.5 mm hook or tighten your tension.
Base too small: go up to a 6.5 mm hook.
Never change the stitch counts, because the cloud shaping depends on exactly 62 sts.
Basket (Make 2)
Use Color A. Join each round with a sl st to the first st. The ch 1 at the start of a round doesn’t count as a stitch. Every round begins at the start of End A.
Ch 16.
Round 1: 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook (End A), sc in next 13 ch (Side 1), 3 sc in last ch (End B). Rotate and work along the opposite side of the foundation chain: sc in next 13 ch (Side 2). Join. (32 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, inc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 13 sts, inc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 13 sts. Join. (38 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, (inc, sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts, (inc, sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts. Join. (44 sts)
Round 4: Ch 1, (inc, sc in next 2 sts) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts, (inc, sc in next 2 sts) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts. Join. (50 sts)
Round 5: Ch 1, (inc, sc in next 3 sts) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts, (inc, sc in next 3 sts) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts. Join. (56 sts)
Round 6: Ch 1, (inc, sc in next 4 sts) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts, (inc, sc in next 4 sts) 3 times, sc in next 13 sts. Join. (62 sts)
The round is now End A (18), Side 1 (13), End B (18), Side 2 (13). Check Checkpoint 1.
Round 7 (wall turn): Ch 1, sc BLO in each st around. Join. (62 sts) The unworked front loops form a crisp fold, so the wall rises straight up.
Rounds 8–14: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (62 sts)
Round 15 (eyelets): Ch 1, sc in next 8 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next 29 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next 21 sts. Join. (58 sc + 2 ch-2 spaces = 62 sts) The eyelets fall at the exact center of each end: between sts 9 and 10, and between sts 40 and 41.
Round 16: Ch 1, sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in ch-2 space, sc in next 29 sts, 2 sc in ch-2 space, sc in next 21 sts. Join. (62 sts)
Round 17: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (62 sts)
Check Checkpoint 2. Then place markers to divide the round:
- Back: sts 1–9 and 41–62 (31 sts)
- Front: sts 10–40 (31 sts), which is the second half of End A, all of Side 1, and the first half of End B
Round 18 (cloud shaping): Ch 2, hdc in each of next 9 sts (back). For the front: sc in next st, Hump, sl st in next st, Hump, sl st in next st, Hump, sc in next st. For the rest of the back: hdc in each of next 22 sts. Join to the first hdc. Fasten off Color A.
- Front: 1 + 12 + 1 + 12 + 1 + 12 + 1 = 40 sts, worked over 31 sts
- Back: 9 + 22 = 31 hdc
- Total: 62 sts worked 1-per-stitch + 9 extra from the Humps = 71 sts
The three Humps create the cloud silhouette, and the two sl sts pull the dips down into sharp V shapes.
Make All Pieces
| Piece | Quantity | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Basket (Rounds 1–18) | 2 | Color A |
| Edging (Rounds 19–20) | 2 | Color B |
| Hanging cord | 1 | Color B |
Work the cream edging (see Border) on both baskets before assembly.
Hanging Cord: With Color B, ch 150. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from hook and in the back bump of each ch across. (149 sl sts) Fasten off and weave the tails back into the cord.
The cord should measure 60 in (152.4 cm), about 2.5 ch per inch. If it comes up short, add about 5 ch for every 2 in (5.1 cm) missing. The sl st row firms the chain into a round, braided-looking cord.
Layout grid (front view):
[ wall hook ]
/ \
cord cord
| |
peg ==[ TOP BASKET ]== peg
| |
cord cord
| |
peg ==[ LOWER BASKET ]== peg
Joining
The baskets hang from the cord by the four pegs. Nothing is sewn.
Pegs: Push one peg through each eyelet from inside the basket. Leave about 1 in (2.5 cm) inside and let 1.25 in (3.2 cm) stick out past the end. The peg rests on the Round 14 stitches and runs parallel to the long sides.
Stitch logic: Each eyelet replaced exactly 2 sts in Round 15, and Round 16 refilled it with exactly 2 sc. The wall stays at 62 sts, and both eyelets sit at the true center of each end, so the basket hangs level.
Threading:
- At the lower basket’s left peg, leave a 4 in (10.2 cm) tail and tie a tight clove hitch against the wall.
- Measure 8 in (20.3 cm) of cord and tie a clove hitch on the top basket’s left peg.
- Measure 10 in (25.4 cm) up to the loop apex, which goes over the wall hook. Then measure 10 in (25.4 cm) down to the top basket’s right peg and tie a clove hitch.
- Measure 8 in (20.3 cm) down to the lower basket’s right peg. Tie a clove hitch, leaving a 4 in (10.2 cm) tail.
- Knot each tail once around its own cord and tuck it away.
Tension: Tighten each hitch until the peg can’t spin, but don’t crush the eyelet. Hang the organizer and level it before you secure the tails. To fix a tilt, slide a hitch along its peg.
Size checkpoint: The two cords sit about 11 in (27.9 cm) apart. The unit measures about 20 in (50.8 cm) from the hook to the bottom.
Border
The border is the cream scalloped edging. Work it separately on each basket.
Border gauge: the same as the body, 10 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). The two rounds add about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of depth.
Round 19: Join Color B with a sl st in the first hdc, then ch 1.
- Back, first part: sc in each of next 9 hdc (9).
- Front: sc in next sc. Over each Hump, work: sc in sc, sc in hdc, sc in dc, (sc in next tr, 2 sc in next tr) 3 times, sc in dc, sc in hdc, sc in sc (15). Work sl st in each dip sl st between the Humps. After the third Hump, sc in the last sc. Front total: 1 + 15 + 1 + 15 + 1 + 15 + 1 = 49 sts.
- Back, second part: sc in each of next 22 hdc (22).
Join.
- Front: 40 sts worked 1-per-stitch + 9 extra = 49
- Back: 31 sts worked 1-per-stitch + 0 extra = 31
- Total: 71 + 9 = 80 sts
Round 20: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. Join and fasten off. (80 sts)
Why the math works: The top edge of each Hump is longer than its base, because 6 tr fan out over only 3 sts. Adding 3 sc per Hump (one in every second tr) matches that extra length, so the edging lies flat instead of cupping. The straight back gets exactly 1 sc per hdc. The dip sl sts keep the V points sharp, and the rev sc round adds no stitches.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends on the inside.
- Fill each basket firmly with a folded towel or a box about 9.5 in x 4.75 in (24.1 cm x 12.1 cm).
- Mist the outside until it’s damp. Don’t soak it.
- Pinch each peak upward and press the dips into neat V shapes.
- Smooth the walls straight against the filler.
- Let the baskets dry completely, at least 24 hours, then remove the filler.
- Hang the organizer, let it settle for a day, and re-level the hitches.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] Both bases measure 9.5 in x 4.75 in (24.1 cm x 12.1 cm)
- [ ] Every wall round has 62 sts
- [ ] The eyelets sit at the exact center of each end
- [ ] Round 18 has 71 sts and three even Humps
- [ ] Round 19 has 80 sts (49 front, 31 back)
- [ ] The peaks reach 6 in (15.2 cm) and the dips reach 4.75 in (12.1 cm)
- [ ] Both baskets match
- [ ] All four hitches are tight, and the pegs don’t spin
- [ ] The cords sit about 11 in (27.9 cm) apart, and the baskets hang level
- [ ] All ends are secure
Troubleshooting
The base cups like a bowl. You missed increases or your tension is too tight. Recount Rounds 2–6.
The base ruffles. You have too many stitches or loose tension. Recount, and try a smaller hook.
The walls flare outward. Confirm that Round 7 was worked in BLO, and keep your wall tension even.
The join seam drifts. This is normal with joined rounds. Keep your join consistent and turn the seam to the back.
The Humps are uneven. Count 9 sts per Hump, use markers, and block the peaks upright.
The edging cups at the peaks. The 2-sc increases on the tr were skipped. If the edging ruffles instead, there are extra increases. Either way, recount to 49 sts across the front.
A peg slides out. Tighten the clove hitch flush against the wall.
The baskets tilt. Slide the hitches along the pegs until the baskets are level.
Care
Remove the pegs and cord, then hand wash in cool water or spot clean. Reshape each basket over a towel and dry it flat.
Final Notes
Everything follows one chain of measurements. A gauge of 10 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 62-st base of 9.5 in x 4.75 in (24.1 cm x 12.1 cm). Eleven straight wall rounds add 4 in (10.2 cm) of height. The cloud round grows to 71 sts, and the cream edging brings it to 80 sts. Each finished basket measures 10 in x 5 in (25.4 cm x 12.7 cm) and stands 6 in (15.2 cm) at the peaks. A 60 in (152.4 cm) cord and four pegs then turn the two baskets into a 20 in (50.8 cm) hanging organizer. Check each link as you go, and your clouds will match.
Happy crocheting!